VISUALIZATION OF BETA-ADRENOCEPTOR BINDING-SITES ON HUMAN INFERIOR VAGAL GANGLIA AND THEIR AXONAL-TRANSPORT ALONG THE RAT VAGUS NERVE

Abstract

DESIGN: Because of uncertainties regarding the complete antihypertensive mechanism of action of beta-adrenoceptor antagonists, the present study determined whether vagal afferent neurons of humans and rats possess beta-adrenoceptors. Such a location would provide an appropriate target for beta-blockers to modulate neurotransmission of barosensitive neurons, thereby affecting blood pressure. Therefore, in vitro receptor autoradiography of high-affinity beta-adrenoceptor binding sites was performed on slices of human and rat inferior vagal (nodose) ganglia with [125I]-pindolol. METHODS: Slide-mounted sections of human and rat inferior vagal ganglia were incubated with [125I]-pindolol in the ab..